Spelt Olive and Rosemary Bread

Sue Maree P -

Spelt olive and rosemary bread is a delicious easy-to-bake spelt loaf bread recipe, that will be sure to impress your family and friends. Serve this with homemade Italian Tomato soup or slice it for a fancy Roasted tomato and fresh Mozzarella starter, see my New Year's for this menu idea.

This Spelt Olive and Rosemary Bread was inspired by a Doves Farm recipe I made this with Marriage light wholegrain spelt flour instead of regular wholemeal bread flour and left out the sugar, added rosemary, a little parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of sesame seeds to the top.

Takes = 2 hours (prep. 10 minutes, resting 1 hour + 40 mins)
Bakes = 30 to 40 minutes
Makes = 10 to 12 slices

Ingredients

  • Marriages Light Wholegrain Spelt Flour (13% protein) or 70% white, 30% wholegrain – 500g (3.5 cups)
  • Fast instant yeast – 7g (1 heaped teaspoon)
  • Warm water – 350ml (1 cup +1/3 cup)
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Olive Oil – 2-3 tablespoons
  • Pitted whole green or black fresh olives (I chop them if I have less) – 120g (about 2/3 cup) I do more or less depending on how many olives I have at the time. (1/2 to 1 cup)
  • Parmesan cheese and sesame seeds (optional) for the top.

Method

Step 1
COMBINE flour, yeast and warm water, and knead for 1 minute until it forms a shaggy dough, add in salt and drizzle olive oil.

Step 2
REST in a warm spot covered for an hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Step 3
OIL your small 1kg (2lb) loaf bread tin. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead gently for about 50 presses. Add in the olives and knead until combined.

Step 4
SHAPE the dough, by envelope folding technique to form your loaf shape. Push any olives down and place them into the prepared tin. Cover for let rest again to rise for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200˚C fan forced, Gas 7.

Step 5
REMOVE and add rosemary and sesame seeds to the top and bake for 30 to 40 mins (my oven runs hot, so it only took 30 minutes). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

  • 8.3.24 – 300g 2 cups white spelt flour and 200g (1 cup +1/4 c+ 3 teaspoons), plus 23g toasted pumpkin seeds and 75g green chopped olives.

Starter Menu Idea: Roasted Tomatoes with Mozzarella on Spelt Olive and Rosemary Bread


Ingredients for 2 generous serves (double for 4)

  • Cherry tomatoes on the vine – 200g
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • One clove of garlic
  • Dried thyme and basil – 1/2 tsp
  • Mozzarella ball – 1 or 2
  • Baby spinach

Method

Step 1
WASH and cut the vine into bunches. Pierce the tomatoes gently with a fork.

Step 2
Drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crushed garlic, a sprinkle of dried thyme, basil and salt. Then roast in the oven at 180˚C fan for about 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Step 3
SLICE olive bread and toast slightly. Add caramelised onions. Add roasted tomatoes, and tear broken pieces of mozzarella cheese and serve with a side of washed baby spinach or similar.